Father to Son
by Jason M. Lee
Summary: Neither of them were able to fully give what they wanted in their lifetime, yet they still tried. A take on Vincent and Tseng's pasts, before the game and after [Through Forest and Grove]. Slight angst.


Disclaimers: _Final Fantasy VII _© under Square-Enix, as well all other _Final Fantasy_ references. Everything else under their respective owners.

* * *

**Father to Son**

Jason M. Lee

* * *

_/"Qui a me, t'attenderò..."/_

* * *

"What are my charges?"

An emotionless gaze directed at me for a moment. The archivist, a new one, tried to shrink back from the tension.

"Your sin is siring a child out of wedlock."

My fingers tightened, reigning in my temper. "Even though I was the one who had been... forced by that woman?"

"It is still a crime and there is nothing any of us can really do a thing about it. Your being of half-Wutaian does not help with this situation, despite the fact that my blood also runs through your veins. If it soothes you, she herself shall be punished as well."

That did nothing to ease the ache within my heart. I was betrayed in a way where it was sometimes more common to a woman. I had trusted her... Yet, she returns that with this burden.

"However, the Elders have agreed on one thing."

I looked at my mother's eldest brother with a silent plea.

"Raise your son until his sixth birthday. Then you must leave and only may you return when all of your crimes have been cleansed."

A quiet gasp from behind the ajar door indicated Godo-_juutei_'s presence, yet neither his father nor I paid attention.

Glancing down at the sleeping infant next to me, I was torn. Already, his tears had dried from the traditional burning of a child not born into marriage from the hands of the priest. The mark shall forever remain till his dying day.

Half of me wanted to go and make that _mesu no kitsune_ feel what I am feeling right now, despite her also being disciplined. However, the other half of me fought back that it would be a wiser decision to at least raise the boy so that he could avoid the same fate as I have.

_Haha-ue_'s face loomed in my mind, her mahogany eyes pleading.

Silently, I stared at the thin rice paper stating my sentence.

Such a simple piece of writing material, yet holding what have been determined for me.

_**"I, Valentine Vincent Shoubu, hereby swear under the Water Lord Leviathan that I will leave Wutai by the sixth year of my son's birth. Until I have atoned for my transgression, I am forbidden from returning here under the punishment of immediate death."**_

Opening the small porcelain container, my hanko firmly took up the crimson mixture and stamped my name on that accursed document.

Black ink danced across the paper like blood spreading by my hands, further confirming my judgment.

Giving a thorough check, despite his rattled nerves, the archivist announced that the record was in order. One quick bow and he hastily left after packing the necessary items, nearly running over my younger cousin who also immediately disappeared. My uncle nodded once and left at a more graceful pace, leaving my chaotic thoughts and my child.

Alone with the babe, I turned my gaze at Leviathan, absently listening to the Hymn. Glancing over to the basket, steel bands of guilt seized me from within. Eyes similar to mine now opened, noticing me as if for the first time. When he reached out with a sound infants were known for, I obliged with a finger of my own and smiled sadly as he tried to grasp it.

_'I'm so sorry.'_

x x x x x x x

I could barely contain my anger as I walked through the halls. People scattered out of my path, some tripping over themselves. Out of fear from my temper or because of the suit I wore, I didn't care.

Barely two years with an excellent record, whether on-duty or off, and Veld-_san_ lands me this particular one.

Babysitting.

"Yo, Dot. Heard from the boss-man, eh?"

Pinching my nose as I entered the lounge reserved for the Turks, I tried to ignore the large grin coming from Seifer.

"Hey, be glad it ain't me laughing my guts out. Some of the others are still trying to breathe after choking 'emselves. Sent them a nice trip to the med ward, though. Man, I remember what it was like keeping an eye on my younger brothers and sisters. Zell was the worst of the bunch."

Sighing, my temper slowly drifted away. No point in getting mad at my partner. Bad enough I had Reno to deal with after I picked him off the streets some time back. At least he's at his lessons with Aerith right now. Inquisitive child, learning the principles and easily applying them. Although he is quite the firecracker with the instructors.

"Why me?"

He shrugged, placing the ceramic cup I had carried with me since I left home filled with my favorite tea. A shot glass sat beside whiskey across from me, no doubt from the lock picked alcohol cabinet.

"Expanding your horizons, I guess. We do have to deal with assignments when there are kids involved with the targets."

"True." A long sip further calmed my nerves. "Do YOU have any idea who my charges are supposed to be?"

Seifer smirked. I frowned. Whenever he smirked like that, it was always foreboding.

"Almasy-_san_..."

"Kill that 'san', Dot. If you're that desperate to know, you've got two buggers to keep an eye on other than pretty boy, your brat, and the little girl."

I blinked. "Two?"

"Yep." He downed a shot of Daniel Jacks. "First squirt is Rudolph Pasito, from Costa. Boss man made some obscure comment about the kid being a removed relative of his or something like that. Family couldn't handle him being so quiet all the time so they're sending him here. Another quirky thing is that he likes to wear sunglasses, even indoors so don't ask when he gets here. By the way, better call the kid Rude. Seems like he responds to that more often than his full name, according to his info."

"And the other?"

White teeth showed. "You're gonna love this one. Old Man's kid himself."

I nearly dropped my tea. "What?!"

"My first thoughts exactly. Old Man thought it'd be more, logical, if you will, if his heir started learning the ropes early on. Feh. As if the old geezer ever thought of his family."

At that, I noticed Seifer was actually somewhat sober, maybe a little bitter.

"What happened?"

He placed his glass on the coffee table. "Lady died of a terminal illness just awhile back, give or take last week. Not even Hojo could beat it, despite all his obsession with the bug. Poor lady had been living behind a mask after her marriage with Old Man. I remember meeting her once as a bodyguard, a bit before you became my partner. Smiling like a doll at parties but when she was alone, that crying at the balcony is nastier than being stabbed. I should know. Ma kept hoping Pa would come back so she smiled at us kids but it never reached her eyes."

I let Seifer continue on with what he remembered of his childhood. I was the only person he trusted with his secrets and none with the other Turks.

As I listened, I wondered how it would turn out with Rufus Shinra, Reno Savai, and Rude Pasito under my wing.

x x x x x x x

"Have you thought of my proposal, Mr. Valentine?"

I silently sipped my _sake_, not minding how harsh it tasted. _Hakufu_ once said that if the _sake_ you were drinking was bitter, then there was something wrong with you inside.

"We could certainly use a man of your talents."

"My talents?" I echoed. The soft chatter and clinks of glass and ceramic faintly sounded around Turtle's, each table an island to their own. The barkeep kept himself busy with serving drinks and cleaning the bar top, ignoring my conversation with the foreigner. He only tolerated me because I was the only person capable of handling the rowdy idiots when they become too inebriated. As well _hakufu_ being Lord of Wutai so I was under his protection, to an extent.

"We noticed that you have a keen eye when it comes to noticing small details, and your accuracy is even beyond the best of our sharpshooters."

Ah, flattery. I was expecting that sooner or later. This person is quite persistent. Came right in only several days ago with an air that bore an ill omen. Physically speaking, he was fine but it was the way he held himself. Then he comes up right to me with that offer from his superiors.

First thing that caught my eye was the dark navy suit of his. I have seen others in the same cut of clothing but never of this shade of black crossing blue.

Not to mention those eyes. An eerie glow that resembled the ghost tales used to scare children. And people thought mine were odd enough, similar to the demons of stories long past.

"What's the catch?"

He smiled but I knew those smiles. Dark, never telling you until it was too late.

"Smart man, for a Wutaian."

"Half," I correct absentmindedly. "My father was not of this land."

A shrug. "My apologies, Mr. Valentine. As for the catch, you won't be able to return here once you've accepted, unless an assignment deems it necessary. You'll have to excuse me but you will also have to forget any of the traditions from here; can't have too much culture interfering our work."

Tseng turns five in one week. He had been begging me to teach him _kyudo_ and I had been considering on creating his first bow. Yet, he knew something was going to happen to both of us eventually. Time was running out for the two of us. All I wanted was to spend as much time with him. Leave something behind for him.

"One year."

The stranger raised an eyebrow. He never told me his name but it didn't really matter.

"Return back one year."

He nodded once, standing up and leaving behind twice the amount the barkeep was paid.

"Then we are in agreement."

With that, he slowly disappeared into the night.

Faintly, I could almost hear the cries of the pyreflies and Leviathan as I stepped out into the cold air.

I wondered if I had sealed my own fate by accepting the offer. 

x x x x x x x

"TSEEEENG!"

My forehead dropped to my palm, bangs further shielding my face. "Not again..."

Seifer shook his head. "Go. I'll cover yer ass on the papers for now."

"Lunch, then?" Tugging my topknot, I made sure it was out of reach from grabby hands.

"So as long you get me those sticky-rice sweets."

A chuckle slipped from me as the door slid open. "_Mochi_, Seifer, it's _mochi_."

Just when I reached the room next door, I was greeted with a sobbing bundle, vanilla hair burying into my stomach.

A quick glance showed the culprit, lounging a ruler across his shoulder.

"Reno! Why did you hit Rufus-_sama_ again?!" My glare was wasted on the boy, though.

"Aw, c'mon, Tseng. Little Master's gotta toughen up a little if he wants to make it with the big boys. Right, Rude?"

Quiet giggles came from across the room and when my gaze reached there, Aerith covered her mouth, those bright eyes of hers twinkling. It was difficult to be hard on this little girl; she had this air of innocence in which I hope she wouldn't lose it. Rude still didn't showed much emotion but after him living here for several months, I could detect a hint of a smile. Silent, following orders spoken and unspoken, he has potential to even exceed Seifer in interrogation when he becomes older.

"Easy, there, Rufus-_sama_." I had to gently calm the young master down, rubbing his back like my fath--

I bit back my temper, forcing the anger aside. Right now, someone else needed attention.

"Can you at least get along with Rufus-_sama_, Reno?"

How desperate I was, holding the two children face to face with two more in the background as audiences. Almost like my old schoolteachers in the playground between me and other schoolmates.

Both stared at each other.

"Be friends? Please?" I weakly smiled.

A sudden smack.

Another squeal of pain.

I ignored the second round of giggles coming from the Ancient's daughter. The only thing I did was try to console Rufus_-sama_, figure out a punishment for Reno, and prayed to Leviathan that Seifer doesn't find out about this.

"Hey, Dot. How's it goi--"

Sudden laughter, changing to snickers as he slipped into the children's room as well.

"Seifer, if you say one word..."

He merely grinned, ruffling an equally grinning Reno's hair.

"I like this kid. He'll do good with a nightstick. Maybe that EMR I've been working on..."

Corruption. The corruption is spreading.

x x x x x x x

"I have to go."

"Why?"

"I must."

Wetness dampened my trousers, his thin arms around my leg.

"Why can't I come with you?!"

I gently pried his hands away and knelt down to his level, glimmering eyes revealed as I brushed aside unruly bangs. His dark locks were already growing a little past his shoulders, held back in a miniscule ponytail. My topknot had been previously severed and my hair trimmed into the style that of the outside continents, symbolizing my banishment. I silently prayed that these hands I hold in my own will never have to be stained with blood of my kinsmen.

"Where I am going, you wouldn't survive. I'm doing this for you. For both of us."

"Then stay!" He buried his face into my chest, fisting my blazer. "Stay with me! I don't want to be alone!"

"Tseng..." Those words knifed inside me far more painfully than my last encounter with that woman.

"_Onegai_..." A desperate whisper.

Godo stepped from the shadows, the moonlight shadowing partially his face. He looked atme before easing Tseng from my jacket and holding him by the shoulders. My son's small fists rubbed his eyes, uselessly trying to hide tears.

My unusual blood-like eyes often unnerved most people but my cousin held my stare evenly. Eleven years separating the two of us but we were as close as true brothers, never mind that my foreign father had died over a foolish argument.

"Watch him."

A firm nod. "I will."

The immense gate looming before me like a dark omen, I continued on.

"_Chichi-ue_!"

Bamboo leaves rustled in a sudden breeze.

_'I'm sorry.'_

A cold wind, like my heart chilling.

"_Chichi-ue_!.!"

Scuffling of the ground, Godo obviously holding him back.

_'I have to do this.'_

A choked sob.

"**_OTOU-SAN_!!**"

_Sakura_ petals blew almost in a storm, hiding my form.

_'Sayonara... Tseng.'_

And I never looked back.

x x x x x x x

This pain.

I never thought I'd experience the taste of Masamune's steel.

Sephiroth had appeared so angry, appearing righteous, almost sadistic.

Yet, I could sense the sadness hidden behind those green Mako eyes. Like the last fragment of his humanity desperate for freedom.

Raising those four had been daunting, yet I tried to at least give some of my attention to the poor boy.

Yes, boy.

I still saw him as the young silver-haired teen whom I had met when Aerith had arrived at the Tower all those years ago.

Somewhere, I saw a part of me inside him.

Listening and following, but never able to question and receive.

Lacking any true parental figure.

Maybe that's why I had tried to include him into the little group I was watching over. He'd always refuse, saying that he would just "stick out" or be busy with tests.

Yet, I remembered the one time Hojo had to go to Junon for nearly a month, Sephiroth actually dropped by for a visit. True, the boys were wary of someone older than they were, but that petite girl with Ancient eyes dragged him into the room and began chatting away. She even got as far as to put a flower wreath onto his head and soon, all five were acting their age, forgetting the environment they were in.

I was so happy then. Seifer didn't even make a crack about it.

Footsteps caused me to weakly raise my head, pulling away from my memories.

"Tseng."

"Aerith... It's not the Promise Land... Sephiroth's searching for..."

A sharp intake of breath. Yellow with blue. That young man. "Sephiroth! He's inside!"

"Look... for yourself..." I gave a feeble chuckle, coughing up blood and waving aside gentle hands wanting to heal. "Damn... Letting you go was the start... of my... bad luck... The President... was wrong..." _'...but maybe... it was a mistake... that was worth it...'_

She shook her head, crystalline tears building in those bright green eyes. "You're wrong. The Promise Land isn't anything like what you imagined. And I'm not going to help. Either way, there was no way ShinRa could've won."

I smiled, despite my fading vision. "...quite harsh. Sounds like something... you'd say." Turning to the blonde, I took out the object from my pocket. "The Keystone... Place it... on... the altar..."

A blurry nod, then they were gone after the sound of stone grinding stone. I had heard three sets come in; only two left.

"Words never did... suited you."

"Tseng..."

"Don't... say... anything."

This time, something I had been carrying for a long time. I could barely lift it, so he gently took from my hands.

"How was he?"

My eyes sought out faint red ones.

"Lost... Help... him..."

To that he nodded.

I never saw the single tear slipping from his eye as darkness claimed me.

x x x x x x x

"Ya think this is really a good idea?"

Vincent placed down his bag, setting up the items.

"Normally, one would visit the first, third, fifth, and seventh year anniversary. This would be the third year, thus appropriate."

Reno stayed silent, watching his pregnant wife and the former Turk set up a simple memorial at the edge of where the Temple of Ancients once stood.

"Is Laney gonna come?" Yuffie piped up, lighting two red candles with a match. She had forego Materia use out of tradition and a sense of respect.

"Her, Rude, and Reeve."

The young Lady of Wutai had invited the rest of the group but surprisingly, they all declined the offer. Tifa had smiled and said that it was between the Turks and relatives for Tseng. To the other AVALANCHE members, they felt it would be intruding. Even Barret had grudgingly agreed to that.

Lavender eyes looked confused. "Reeve? Why him?"

"Reeve was one of the youngest Turk ever inducted officially next to me, fifteen or sixteen years at the time. Prodigy, from what he told me." Reno chewed on a toothpick thoughtfully. "He kinda idolized Tseng while as a Turk until a botched assignment landed him in the Urban Development 'bout ten-plus years back. Revamped the Midgar Plate plans but you know how it was back then."

"And now I wish I had never planned it," a voice spoke up from behind. "I wanted to take care of Midgar like it was my own kid..."

Turning, the redhead nodded to his second boss. Bringing up the rear was Rude and Elena, the latter carrying a small bouquet containing agrimony, amaryllis, amethyst, a sprig of elm, an olive branch, white chrysanthemum and a branch of half-bloomed _sakura_.

"If not for my children," Vincent spoke softly, lighting three incense sticks, "then for my grandchildren. A parent should also never have to bury their own children."

Both Reeve and Reno glanced at the oldest Turk with slightly surprised eyes before turning back to the tiny altar, mulling over the words.

Two red candles burning on either side of an incense pot filled with Wutai and Midgar soil. Fire flickered in a small pot, ashes of paper money flying in the air. A small plate of oranges sat in front of the pot, the fruits in a two-tiered pyramid. Simple, yet effective.

Watching Elena and Yuffie talk quietly as they arrange the flowers to look more elegant, sunglasses turned toward long sable.

"Gratitude, pride, admiration, dignity, and peace," the older man replied at the unspoken question. "A white mum is used at funerals in Wutai, although the Midgarian meaning is truth. _Sakura_ because of our short lifespan and it was said that they were steps to bridging this world and the next."

Nodding, Rude took off his shades and tucked them into his pocket, revealing somber gray-blue.

Finished, the girls stepped back to the group. Vincent, Reno, and Yuffie clapped their hands twice and then bowed their heads thrice. The other three mimicked the gesture, holding their words.

Several birds in the distanced called to each other, contrasting the dreary mood.

Reno was the first to break the silence.

"Hey, Vince, what did you mean by that comment? 'If not for my kid, then for my grandkid' thing."

A quirk of his lips. "He never mentioned anything?"

The younger Turks exchanged looks of confusion.

"Mention what?" Elena piped up.

Vincent turned to leave, fingering a sterling locket out of sight with a calm look on his face.

"Tseng more or less raised Reno, Rude, Rufus, Aerith, and Sephiroth, Elena. In essence, he became a father to all five of them even though he had never planned it."

As they continued their walk through the forest with the fire pot, everything seemed to disappeared. When the eldest Turk spoke, the younger Turks listened.

"He himself didn't have much of a childhood, as his father was banished from Wutai and his mother not facing her duties. Yet, he still had hope and thus channeled that hope into protecting those five as much as he could."

Yuffie made a sad noise. "That really sucks. Although, how would you know about Tseng-_itoko_? Weren't you before his time as a Turk? Other than the records, I mean."

He paused, looked back with a sad smile, and then continued on toward the bridled chocobos.

Reno took in a sharp breath while Rude stiffened, both stopping.

"What's wrong?" Reeve asked, noticing their reactions.

"He almost looked..." the redhead began, awe creeping into his voice.

"...exactly like Tseng," Rude finished, as much astonishment from the quiet Turk.

Shocked silence amongst the group.

A flock of birds suddenly took flight in surprise.

"OH MY FREAKIN' GAWD!! I'M RELATED TO VAMP-BOY?! WHAT IN LEVIATHAN'S NAME IS HAPPENING?!"

"Tseng's your cousin? So... how is Valentine related to you?"

"BAKA! You and Rude just said that he looked like Tseng!"

"Waitamin, wouldn't that make Vince as Tseng's dad?!"

"Then how is he related to Godo?"

"...cousins."

"Go figure. ... HEY! Tseng never spoke about his surname!"

"Don't look at me just because I'm the president now! All I got out of the records was that he used Chan!"

"Covering his tracks, ya think? Come to think of it, he DID had a heck of a temper."

"I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT VINNIE'S MY UNCLE!!"

"That means you can't just call him 'Vinnie' or 'Vince' anymore."

"_Urusai_, Laney! I'll call him whatever I want! What is the Planet coming to?!"

"...new beginnings."

"Stuff it, Rude. Don't make me pull out my EMR."

"USOOO!!"

Vincent merely chuckled softly at the sudden chaos behind him. Within, said demon namesake was laughing quite loudly.

* * *

A/N: A slight take on Vincent and Tseng's pasts, my version. Tseng raising Reno, Rude, and Rufus from _FFVII_ doujinshi "Boogie Woogie Turks" by circle WASAB'z, artists Yuzuka Morita and Sahri Kotobuki. Aerith and Sephiroth of childhood from "Secret Innocence" by Honya Ranko, who is quite adept at pulling her own AU (Parallel World in her case) of _FFVII_. Although the whole Wutai/ShinRa War has messed up my calculations while writing this,I'm goingwith that Sephiroth doesn't enter the war until he's in his teens in a few years.

In China, Japan, and some parts of Asia, you add one extra year to the baby when it is born. The reason being is that since the kid spends nearly a year inside the mother, it makes sense it'd be one year old upon birth. _In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson_ by Bette Bao Lord and Jackie Chan's _Rush Hour_ for two examples of that counting style. In Western terms, Tseng would've been really five years old.

Very messy with the whole relationship between Vince, Godo, Tseng, Reno, and Yuffie, eh? Quite common with most Pacific Asian families, especially odd age gaps between generations.

Sake reference to _Rurouni Kenshin_ created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, though I may be off. Visiting the dead and sakura notes are common in Japan, while the white mum and memorial altar at gravesite from China.

Lyric from "Aria di Mezzo Carattere" under _FFVI/FF3_ and Square-Enix. Better known as "the Opera Song" for short. Some references to _Before Crisis: FFVII_, in reference to Tseng having a temper and Veld. Seifer and Zell from _FFVIII_, though a little OOC for Seifer. Tseng and Aerith's lines in the Temple of the Ancients directly from the game itself.

_hakufu_ - uncle, older than one's parent  
_juutei_ - male cousin younger than writer/speaker  
_itoko_ - cousin, male or female  
_mochi_ - sticky rice cake, usually eaten on New Years  
_mesu no kitsune_ - vixen, "b!tch"  
_shoubu_ - victory; Vincent in Latin means "victorious"  
_kyudou_ Japanese "Way of the Bow"  
_uso_ - "no way, impossible"  
_urusai_ - "shut up"


End file.
